Hibiscus plant named ‘SHIMRR38’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus  plant named ‘SHIMRR38’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous and uniform growth habit; flowers with reddish purple-colored petals with dark red-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hibiscus syriacus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SHIMRR38’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant, botanically known as Hibiscus syriacus, commercially known as Rose-of-Sharon or Althea, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘SHIMRR38’.

The new Hibiscus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Hibiscus plants with attractive flower forms and colors.

The new Hibiscus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in July, 2001 of Hibiscus syriacus ‘SKK 14-1-15’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Hibiscus syriacus ‘Songam’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hibiscus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in August, 2003 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus plant by softwood cuttings since March, 2004 in a controlled environment in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SHIMRR38’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SHIMRR38’ as a new and distinct Hibiscus plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous and uniform growth habit.     -   3. Flowers with reddish purple-colored petals with dark         red-colored centers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘SKK 14-1-15’. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ primarily from plants of ‘SKK 14-1-15’ in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘SKK 14-1-15’ have pink-colored petals.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Songam’. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ primarily from plants of ‘Songam’ in plant size as plants of the new Hibiscus are more compact than plants of ‘Songam’.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscus syriacus ‘Woodbridge’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of ‘Woodbridge’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were more compact than plants of         ‘Woodbridge’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus and ‘Woodbridge’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Woodbridge’ had flowers with fuchsia         pink-colored petals with dark pink-colored centers.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can also be compared to plants of the Hibiscus syriacus ‘SHIMRV24’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,374. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of ‘SHIMRV24’ in flower color as plants of ‘SHIMRV24’ had flowers with purple-colored petals with dark red purple-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘SHIMRR38’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘SHIMRR38’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in three-gallon containers during the summer in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Hibiscus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus syriacus ‘SHIMRR38’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hibiscus syriacus ‘SKK 14-1-15’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Hibiscus syriacus ‘Songam’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at             temperatures about 25° C. to 27C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 60 days at             temperatures about 20° C. to 22C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 to 50             days at temperatures about 25° C. to 27C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 to 70             days at temperatures about 20° C. to 22C.         -   Root description.—Fine; yellowish in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; relatively compact             and upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous and             uniform growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit, usually about six             primary branches with numerous secondary lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development.         -   Plant height.—About 60.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 63 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 23 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Aspect.—About 30° to 45° from vertical.         -   Strength.—Strong, rigid.         -   Texture, immature.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, mature.—Woody.         -   Color, immature.—Close to 143A.         -   Color, mature.—Close to 199B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.75 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Crenate, lobed.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 135A;             venation, close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.             Texture, upper surface: Slightly pubescent. Texture, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to             137B. Color, lower surface: Close to 137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single rotate flowers;             flowers terminal and axillary; freely flowering habit with             usually about nine flowers developing per lateral branch;             flowers face upright to mostly outwardly.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last for about two to three days             on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Hibiscus flower             continuously from late spring to late summer in Michigan.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.75 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 4.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 138B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement and quantity: Single whorl of five             petals; petals imbricate. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About             2.9 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny. Texture, lower surface: Slightly             pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 76A;             towards the base, close to 59A. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 76D; towards the base, close to 58A. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 73A; towards the base, close to 59C;             at the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 73A and 59C;             main color becoming closer to 76A with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 73A; towards the base, close             to 60A; venation, close to 73A and 60A; main color becoming             closer to 76A with development.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement and quantity: Single whorl of six sepals             fused into a tubular calyx. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Narrowly acute.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Slightly pubescent; rough. Texture, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 139B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect:             About 25° from stem axis. Strength: Strong; rigid. Texture:             Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per             flower: About 30. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament             color: Close to 155B. Anther shape: Round. Anther length:             About 4 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Amount of pollen:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Gynoecium: Quantity             of pistils per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3.7 cm.             Style length: About 3 cm. Style color: Close to 155C. Stigma             appearance: Five-parted, rounded. Stigma color: Close to             155A. Ovary color: Close to 155C and 60B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Hibiscus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to     have excellent garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,     drought and temperatures ranging from about −12° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hibiscus     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘SHIMRR38’ as illustrated and described. 